Happy New Year! (You’ll see why that’s fitting in a moment.)
The time had come to say goodbye to the ceiling fan in our bedroom so we could install a light fixture with more personality.
Before anyone gets upset: we’re not anti-fan. We removed the ceiling fan from our first home’s bedroom and replaced it with a high-powered Hunter table fan, which we still use in warmer months. My wife jokes that we’re “fan fans,” and we do love fans when they’re placed thoughtfully so form and function meet. For example, we’d never remove the fans in our sunrooms. But this particular bedroom fan just wasn’t getting along with Ed the Bed.
On a recent trip to Ikea we picked up the Maskros pendant lamp. It comes in two sizes; we chose the smaller 22-inch diameter version because the larger one would have been overwhelming for the space. It felt like the perfect statement piece for the bedroom and was surprisingly affordable, so after months of considering it, we finally brought it home. We realize this lamp is polarizing, but it makes us grin every time we see it, and that’s why we decided to go for it.
While it looked dramatic hanging in the store, at home its first message was simply, “put me together.”
First the fan had to come down. With the house power off (safety first), I disassembled the fan — a task I’ve done enough times to have a routine. I learned it’s easiest to remove the blades first so you don’t bonk your head while disconnecting the rest of the fixture.
Uncovering the ceiling revealed some imperfections: unfinished paint and a square patch that didn’t sit flush. Not ideal, so I borrowed a solution for a damaged ceiling and picked up a simple ceiling medallion to hide and dress up the area. The medallion made the installation look more intentional and gave the pendant a more substantial, balanced appearance instead of appearing as a giant orb hanging from a small nub in the ceiling.
Technically, Ikea recommends attaching the decorative “spokes” only after the fixture is secured to the ceiling. Because we needed the pendant to hang low enough to clear Ed’s top rail but high enough to look proportional, we temporarily attached a few spokes to gauge the finished size and determine the best hanging height.
Ikea also suggests coiling excess wire inside the canopy, but we preferred a neater approach: cutting the cord closer to our desired length and stripping the ends, which reduced bulk inside the ceiling cup.
Next came the assembly of the lamp itself. The Maskros ships with 82 paper “flowers” — pre-cut, hole-punched pieces that snap into the spokes. They’re simple, lightweight, and replaceable if you wanted to change the look or color. We debated spray-painting the backs for a subtle sheen, but ultimately kept the clean white look. The packaging even helped shape the petals to curl outward, which was a nice touch.
After attaching the first few rows of flowers the fixture started to resemble the showroom version, and within about ten minutes all 82 pieces were in place. We were relieved it didn’t take forever to assemble. At first it felt larger than we expected — the store environment had made it seem smaller — but once we add a larger rug, wall art, and other furnishings the scale will feel right. Even without those upgrades, the pendant has quickly become a favorite; every time we walk into the room it makes us smile. Half the time we even high-five over it. It’s playful, bold, and exactly the statement piece we wanted.
The lamp hangs lower in the room than a traditional fixture might, with the bulb sitting just above eye level, but it doesn’t interfere with movement because it sits over the bed and the bench at the footboard. Despite eight-foot ceilings, the placement works for our layout.
By day the fixture reads crisp and sculptural; by night it becomes almost like our own little New Year’s Eve ball. My wife loves to dim the lights, count down, and flip the switch, announcing “Happy New Year!” with a squeal. The pendant uses a 40-watt bulb, so it won’t flood the room with bright light, but it complements the moody, layered lighting we’ve achieved with side table lamps and the vanity light in the sink nook.
One unexpected bonus: the view from bed is fantastic. The pendant reflects perfectly in the bathroom mirror, giving the room an added bit of charm. We keep the fixture centered in the room and over the bed; any slight off-center appearance in photos is just a camera angle issue.
In short, the Maskros pendant made the bedroom feel more fun and finished. We don’t miss the old fan — we’re donating it — and the new light continues to make us giddy. Our daughter Clara is fascinated by the paper flowers, but for now they remain strictly looking items since she’s prone to grab things. Have you installed a dramatic light fixture lately, or do you own the Maskros yourself? We’d love to hear about other playful lighting pieces you’ve found.
P.S. We made a few tweaks to the bed and lighting later on — things always evolve — and those updates made the whole setup feel even more cohesive.